Not Alone
by GirlWonder29
Summary: Beth Li was only a teenager when she died. When she finally awoke, she realized that she wasn't quite...human anymore. With her synth friend Ariel, she seeks out the only name she recognized before she passed away: David Elster. She meets his son, Leo, and finds out the truth about conscious synths, and what she really is now. But is she willing to accept the consequences?
1. Chapter 1

When Beth was ten years old, her father told her a secret.

He told her about an impossible invention, something that could completely change the entire world; a mad dream.

He told her that she must never tell anyone, ever.

When she asked why not, he told her that it was one of the greatest secrets he had ever known, and that she could be in danger if anyone ever, ever found out.

And so, because she respected her father more than anyone, she promised to keep the secret for him.

But although she was always a rather intelligent girl, she still was only just that-a young child.

She just couldn't really see how giving a robot-what was it her father had called them?-a _synth_ life and feelings could be that bad.

But she trusted him anyways. Her father was one of the most intelligent people in the whole wide world, and he was also a very successful scientist. Whenever she had heard people refer to him as "Doctor", she would feel a spurt of pride.

At school, her teachers would often make remarks about how she apparently had a lot to live up to, but she never minded. She knew her father was just that remarkable, and strived to achieve the best grades she could so she could impress him.

Years quickly passed. Beth became one of the top students in her school, and turned fifteen years old. Though it had been a long time, she still kept the one incriminating secret her father had given her all those years ago.

She must not tell anyone about the existence of conscious synths.

She understood more now about how that information could be detrimental to the world and its society, but at the same time, she still just couldn't see how it would be such a bad thing.

So what if the synths gained consciousness? Surely they deserved it. They could then experience true human emotions just like her and anyone else.

Even though she had grown older, she still kept her naivety about them. She passed synths every day, whether in school or on the streets, and couldn't help wondering about what the world would really be like if one of its most revolutionary inventions were essentially given "life". Perhaps it could be extraordinary.

Beth liked to believe in the best in people, no matter who they were. If synths counted as "people", then she figured she believed in them as well. Surely they deserved a chance to think and feel just like her and and everyone else.

Of course, it would never be that easy. So many synthetics had taken over the more dangerous and exhausting tasks in the world, laboring heavily where humans could not, would not, or did not. Because they could not think much for themselves beyond their programming and preset functions, they did these jobs without complaint, without stopping or wearing out.

Synths were the ideal workers in this way. They never had to stop, like normal humans. And besides, wouldn't it be better for machines to take over these laborious tasks without risking humans?

It wasn't simple at all. She could see the value in synths just the way they were originally, but still. She wondered about the world if conscious synths were to make an appearance any time soon.

Perhaps they were already out there, changing things for their kind.

Against her better instincts, she hoped so.

Perhaps the world could use a little change from a different source.

* * *

Beth picked up her bag, and slid her screen inside, ready to go home for the day.

Her father would likely be late again, as usual, so it would be up to Ariel and her to get dinner ready.

Ariel was the household synth. Since her mother had passed away just after Beth had been born, Ariel had been made to help around the house. It really wasn't that unusual. Loads of families had synths for their homes just for that purpose: to have extra help, whether it was with chores, childcare, or as housekeepers.

For the longest time, all she could remember was just her, her father, and Ariel all living together. Her father worked late shifts, so Ariel was usually the one who took care of her, ever since she was little. She helped her with her homework, let Beth confide in her about friends, and what she was feeling, and looked after her when she was sick. She may have looked up to her father more than anyone, but Ariel had always felt like a part that was missing. The one who really took care of her.

To be honest, sometimes it felt like she was more than just a pre-programmed synth...like she knew more than she let on.

But Beth merely chuckled and shook her head at the thought. Ariel was just a normal synth. Whether or not conscious synths really existed, Ariel was not one of them. At least...she was pretty sure she wasn't.

Beth waved goodbye to a couple of friends, and began to walk away from the school grounds. Maybe she hadn't been looking where she was going, or was maybe too wrapped up in her thoughts, but she was suddenly grabbed around the waist and hauled to the side of the road.

THUMP.

She looked up, gasping. She saw a black automobile in an awkward angle, sideways, like it had skidded on the road.

It must have been about to hit her when she wasn't looking, but someone had managed to yank her out of harm's way before it could.

She felt someone's warm wrist on her arm, and looked up to see her savior.

It was a tall, dark-skinned man dressed in an olive-brown jacket and a gray sweater. He gave her a surprisingly sweet, reassuring smile, which she hesitantly returned.

"Are you alright?" he asked, then looking concerned.

"Yes, thanks." she gasped out. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was walking. Had my head up in the clouds."

"Well, you're OK now," he smiled again. "I'm glad."

"Thank you." she repeated. "You saved my life."

"I'm Max." said the man. "What's your name?"

" _Max_!" a new voice snapped in the distance, behind them. They both turned.

It was a lean young man, about the same age, Beth guessed, as the first one. He had a rather dishevelled look about him, with thick, wavy dark hair hanging over his forehead, and was dressed in a hoodie underneath a pale olive jacket. His pale face looked stern, angry.

"Leo," the first man-Max-greeted. He looked suddenly meek at the sight of him, stepping away from Beth and releasing his touch on her arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" The man hissed, stepping towards them.

"I was just…" Max looked uncomfortable.

"Just what?" The other man, Leo, pulled him away, but she could still hear him growl, "We're supposed to be careful. Not drawing unwanted attention to ourselves!"

"Sorry," Beth said apologetically, boldly approaching them. "It was all my fault, really. I wasn't looking where I was going, but your friend saved my life."

The man looked away, but Beth thought his fierce expression softened just a fraction.

"...Good." he muttered resignedly, and turned to walk away.

Max looked back at her. "Nice to meet you, Beth." He grinned.

"And you, Max." she answered. "Thank you again for saving me."

"You are welcome."

"Maxie!" Leo shouted warningly again, farther away. Max shrugged a little, and began to walk after him.

"Goodbye!" Beth called after them.

Max turned, and waved a hand. It was then, and only then, that Beth finally caught on.

His eyes-weren't normal. How she had missed that before, she had no idea.

They were bright, unnatural green.

The exact same shade as Ariel's.

The color of synthetic eyes.

Max was a synth. Beth stumbled. But not just any synth. He had spoken to her like anyone else.

He was-she had just met an actual- _a conscious synth_.

She was absolutely certain of it.

She could hardly believe it.

* * *

"May I help you with your coat?"

Ariel's polite smile was as familiar as always as she opened the door for Beth.

Beth shook her head, still speechless from earlier.

"No. Thanks." She mumbled.

Ariel's expression didn't change much, but she could hear the question in her normally soothing voice. "Is there something troubling you?"

Beth wasn't sure whether to explain herself or not. "Um, no."

"That is good." Ariel smiled. "Then you are in satisfactory condition?"

"Yeah," Beth agreed after a moment. How could she explain it to a synth? That she had finally seen actual proof of the secret her father had entrusted to her? That beyond doubt there really was such a thing as a conscious synth?

No. She couldn't tell her. Not yet.

"Then I shall start to make the preparations for dinner." Ariel dipped her head, her long auburn hair tumbling over her shoulders.

"OK." said Beth. "I'm going to get going on my homework then."

And they headed off in opposite directions.

Beth was only half-lying when she said she was going to start on her homework. She opened a page in her textbook, scribbled down a few answers, checked the back pages to make sure she was correct. To be honest, her mind really wasn't on the work at all. After a few more minutes of staring blankly at the last couple questions, she shut the book, and made her way to her bag to get her screen.

She typed in, "Conscious synths" into the search engine. No good. About a thousand hits popped up, and it seemed like half of them were either completely out of context advertisements, or even more irrelevant "what ifs" on shady-looking forums.

She thought for a moment, steepling her fingers together in thought, and pursing her lips.

The conscious synth had had a name. Max. And the other man had as well: _Leo_.

Would that lead to any kind of clue?

It was worth a shot.

About an hour and a half later and reflecting over five thousand hits, she thought she finally found a match.

"Leo Elster, son of David Elster, renowned scientist." read one article, dated about eight years ago. She read further.

Apparently, this David Elster had been quite well-known in the field of science, and had largely contributed to its progress and innovation. In fact, it was rumored that he had been the one to actually create the very first synth.

Beth let out an impressed whistle, raising her eyebrows at this claim, before reading along.

But it seemed he had been a recluse, and the article stated that he had later moved his family away to a less conspicuous estate in the country, with his wife, Beatrice, and his only son, Leo.

That was it. It had to be.

She zoomed in on the grainy black-and-white photo featuring the family. The man, David Elster, was thin, with spectacles. The woman, Beatrice, had long dark hair and a slightly bemused expression. The boy, Leo, had dark wavy hair and bright eyes.

She squinted. That was him. It had to be.

The same fierce-looking man as before, only now he was grown up. The disheveled one with the tousled hair and rumpled clothing.

The one with the conscious synth.

She frowned, leaning back. David Elster. Elster...the name sounded familiar. Had she heard it somewhere before?

"Ariel?" she called. "Ariel, can you come here, please?"

"Yes, Beth?" The polite, soothing voice from behind made her jump.

"Jesus, Ariel," Beth clutched at her heart dramatically as she turned towards the synth. "We should really put a bell on you."

The red-haired synth merely looked puzzled. "I apologize if I caused you bodily distress, Beth. Is there something you wanted to ask? Some help with your work, perhaps?"

Beth shook her head. "No, nothing like that. I was wondering-" she cleared her throat, suddenly wondering whether or not this was such a good idea after all.

"-I was wondering if you had ever heard of someone called...Elster?"

Ariel didn't move. She didn't say a word.

"Ariel?" Beth asked. "Did you hear me?"

Still nothing. Ariel's luminous green eyes were fixed in a single spot, unmoving.

"Ariel? OK, now you're starting to worry me." Beth got up, and took one of the synth's hands in her own. "Ariel?"

It took another whole minute, with Beth waiting anxiously, but Ariel finally straightened and said evenly, "No. I do not recall hearing that name."

"Alright," Beth sighed slightly. It had been worth a shot. "Never mind. Thanks, anyway."

"You do not have to thank me, Beth."

"Well, I'm thanking you anyway." She flashed her a grin. "When has that ever stopped me before?"

Ariel merely dipped her head, and took her leave. Beth sighed. Although she cared for the synth, she still couldn't help wishing she could actually be a conscious one. Someone who might be able to better understand what she was feeling and talk to her about their own feelings in return.

Oh, well. Back to the research.

Another half hour later, and Ariel informed her it was time for dinner.

Beth had not gotten anywhere farther with her search. The article she had found earlier had been the closest lead so far.

* * *

Beth had just finished clearing her plate and putting it in the sink, when the doorbell rang. Or rather, it almost sounded like someone was leaning on it.

"Coming!" she called, but Ariel beat her to it, opening the door to reveal a lean man with dark hair and spectacles.

Beth blinked in surprise. "Dad!" she greeted happily. "Welcome home."

"Beth." He greeted simply. He turned and nodded to the synth. "Ariel."

He looked exhausted, and when he came under the light in the house, she could see he had dark circles under his eyes.

"May I help you with your coat, Dr. Li?" Ariel enquired automatically.

He shrugged his jacket off, Ariel helping him out of the sleeves.

"Thank you."

"Will that be all?"

"Yes, thanks, Ariel." he confirmed. "I need to talk with my daughter right now."

Ariel dipped her head and left the room, leaving Beth alone with her father.

"Is something wrong, dad?" Beth asked hesitantly. He looked positively bedraggled now.

"...Nothing for you to worry about, my dear." he straightened, adjusting his spectacles. "But there is something I wish to discuss with you."

"Me too," Beth admitted after a moment's thought. She took a deep breath.

"I want to talk to you about conscious synths."

They both stared at each other. Beth was suddenly struck by the resemblance between her and her father. She could see her own face reflected faintly in his spectacles. They both had the same, slightly confused, slightly wary expression.

"'Conscious synths'?" She repeated. "Like that story you told me all those years ago, when I was like, ten?"

He nodded solemnly, but with a trace of exasperation. "It wasn't _just_ a story, my dear."

"Oh." she said stupidly.

"I wanted to tell you that it is more important now than it ever has been before for you to keep this secret."

"Um. OK." she said, still confused. Why now, of all times? Had something happened?

He took her by the shoulders, dark eyes burning into hers from behind lenses.  
"Understand. It is of the utmost importance."

His expression was deadly serious. Too serious.

His grip was so tight, it was painful.

"Did-did something happen, dad?" she asked timidly. "You're...you're kind of scaring me, a bit."

He let go, his expression turning slightly regretful. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to."

"S'OK." she mumbled, rubbing her upper arms.

"But you must not tell anyone, is this clear?"

"...Yes, sir." She bowed her head obediently. "I...understand."

He nodded, satisfied. "Good."

"Dad?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you…" she took a deep breath. "Who is...who is David Elster?"

Her father turned away, but before he did, she caught a look of mingled shock and something else she couldn't quite explain on his face.

"Where did you hear that name?" he asked finally, his tone low and dark.

"I, um…" she shifted her weight, staring down at her feet. She was suddenly starting to regret this decision. "I just read it. Somewhere online. Random."

He turned to face her, and she was confused by what she thought was fear in his eyes.

"Dad-?"

He took her by the shoulders again, hard.

He actually began to shake her. She gasped out.

"Dad!"

" _Elizabeth_." he said, his voice panicked. "You must listen to me. Never- _never_ -repeat that name aloud again. Understand?"

He shook her again. " _Understand_?"

"Yes-yes!" she cried out. "I promise!"

He released her, burying his face in his hand. She took a step back shakily. She had never seen her father lose his composure like this before. It had been so sudden, like this David Elster, or whoever he was, was someone terrible.

She just couldn't understand it. She knew her father was also a renowned scientist, a synth scientist, no less, but did that have something to do with that so-called creator of synthetics?

"Elizabeth."

She looked up slowly.

Her father's eyes looked watery, but they were no longer full of fear like before. She was startled to see that they were warm-affectionate.

The palpable emotion made her feel as though her legs were jelly.

The change had just been so sudden.

"Elizabeth." he repeated softly. "My dear. Please, know that I just want to ensure your wellbeing."

"I know, Dad." she murmured, dropping her eyes.

"One day you will understand." She thought she heard him whisper before he walked away.

She nodded once, feeling caught up in her throat, then turned, and walked away quickly. Her mind raced with thoughts she could not hope to answer that night.

It took her a long time to get to sleep, but she was finally able to drift off, somehow. Her mind still churned with the onslaught of ideas-about the conscious synths, about the Leo person, David Elster, and her own father-and how they were all related, if related at all.

She sighed, and closed her eyes. But just before she did, she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of dark red hair and glowing luminous green eyes watching her from the door to her room.

Ariel stared at her silently, unmoving, her artificial eyes piercing.

Beth couldn't shake the feeling that somehow the synth knew exactly what was going on in her head, and somehow knew the answers she was after.

But the next time she opened her eyes, the room was empty, and Ariel was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

A few days passed, and Beth still could not shake the uneasy feeling.

It was still a mystery to her, all this information about the conscious synths, and whoever David Elster really was-and how he was possibly connected to her own father.

She also didn't forget her father's words, how he had promised that all he wanted was for her to be safe. Was the secret really something so dangerous it could put her at risk somehow?

There was just no telling what the big deal was.

But her father was back to normal, the only sign that anything unusual had happened between them were a few extra reassuring pats on her shoulder whenever they passed, and she would sometimes look up to notice he would stare at her with this warm, yet sorrowful expression, as if looking for something that wasn't quite there.

As for Ariel...well, she was still Ariel, like always.

Not much change there.

She was her usual robotic self, always eager to please, always ready to serve.

Beth still didn't quite buy it, however. She had a feeling the synth knew more than she was letting on.

She couldn't worry about that though. She had school, and she was going to be late.

* * *

Beth got up groggily as soon as Ariel alerted her that it was indeed morning, cleaned up, changed into a sweater and jeans, and ran downstairs to grab a bite of toast before heading out with her bag.

The morning started out just like any other.

But that was the day when everything changed.

Her classes started off normal enough. Mathematics, then Chemistry, Biology, and finally Robotics.

Beth was one of the top students in her school, and she never really saw the point in taking any electives other than purely academic subjects. She supposed she got that from her father. Besides, she considered herself rubbish at art, whether dramatically, visually, or even musically.

She slid into her seat, and pulled out her notebook, although she really wasn't planning on paying much attention.

Robotics, although it was a particular area of interest of hers, was, in reality, an extremely dull class.

Mr. Turner, who had a remarkable ability to make up the most long, inexplicably dreary speeches, was only matched by his love of the phrase "Et Cetera", which was often used out of context and far too frequently to begin with.

"So the constitutional fundamentals, et cetera, are to be amended by the following five junctions, et cetera…"

She pretended to listen intensely, but her mind soon began to wander. She had the urge to go down to the local tech store. She had seen several books on synth mechanics there. Would Ariel object if she was home late that night?

At least the possibility of her wrath would be over with faster than this lecture…

* * *

She looked out the window absentmindedly.

Beth frowned, and squinted. What was that black van doing so close to the entrance? It was covered with dark canvas, and looked extremely out of place.

If she looked hard, she could just make out a figure running around the side of the vehicle.

Her eyesight had always been rather impressive. If she focused, she could just make out that they were holding something in their hand, like a box, no a remote, no, maybe a-

Her eyes went wide. A detonator. She was certain of it. So that was what that van was for. The person with the trigger, looked up towards the school, and pressed their finger slowly down-

Could it actually be-?

"-Bomb!" she heard herself shout, rising out of her seat. People turned to gape at her as she continued to yell, "There's a bomb out there! Everyone, get out-!"

BOOM.

* * *

A searing heat, pain beyond imaginable.

A white flash. Then nothing.

* * *

The morning had started out just like any other.

But that was the day when everything changed.

That was the day West Vale Secondary School was caught in a covert terrorist bombing.

Hundreds of families were notified about the tragedy almost immediately, and it was a main story on the news for several days and even months afterward.

No one could quite comprehend why someone would pull off such a vicious crime, such a brutal murder.

In all, there were 141 deaths, 98 in critical condition, 112 injured in total.

* * *

15 year-old Elizabeth Li was not listed under the survivors.


	3. Chapter 3

She was lying on a burning pyre, red-hot coals underneath her skin.

She could feel the heat behind her eyes, as though they were on fire. Her whole body felt like it was on fire.

She tried to move her arms, legs, _anything_ , but nothing would budge.

She was completely paralyzed, but could still feel the burning, suffocating, mass.

Perhaps she was in Hell.

What happened? Where was she? _Who_ was she?

She could hear faint footsteps in what sounded like the far distance, and could have cried out in relief. At least she wasn't alone in this torturous existence.

The footsteps grew heavier, heavier, until she was certain they were right beside her. She could hear the metallic sound of what she perceived as metal clanging, and suddenly the pain stopped all at once.

She was so happy, even though she wasn't quite sure who she was at the moment.

The heat was finally gone.

So maybe she wasn't in Hell after all…

She then heard something more, like a softer sound, kind of like...she thought hard.

...Like someone was speaking. A female someone.

What were they saying?

She focused.

 _...th. B...th. Be...th._

 _Beth._

She would have smiled, if she could.

Beth. What a nice name. It was oddly familiar, somehow. She frowned slightly.

Very familiar.

 _Beth. Beth...up._

What?

 _Beth...wake...up. Beth, wake...up. Beth, wake up now._

The voice was starting to become familiar now.

It was very...soothing. Resonant. Soft, yet strong. Gentle, yet firm.

 _Beth_? Was she talking to her?

 _Beth_? Was that her name?

A gentle pressure on her arm, like a hand shaking her.

 _Beth...please. It is time...to get up...now._

Hang on. Beth. Elizabeth. Elizabeth Li.

Wait, there was a school, and a truck...and through the window, she could see someone pressing down on a trigger…

Then a horrifying sound, louder than anything she had ever heard before.

Beth Li. That was...her name. Beth. Beth!

Her eyes flew open to a blinding white light.

She was in a room so bright, it hurt to look at.

She took in everything with her eyes at once, from the strange machinery hooked up to the bed she was lying in, to the monitor screen on the far wall...to the eerily beautiful green-eyed woman with deep red curls beaming at her.

She tried to sit up, but failed miserably.

"A-Ariel," she rasped out. Even her own voice sounded strange to her ears. Hollow, almost.

"Beth!" The synth flew to her side at once. Beth frowned. Something was...off about her. But there were other things she was much more curious about.

"Wh-what...happened?"

The red-haired synth paused. "You do not...remember?"

Beth shook her head slowly. The action itself took a slightly greater amount of effort than she was used to.

"Have I...been sick?" Maybe that was it. Maybe she had just been out sick was all. The last thing she could really remember was going to school, and...not much else. There was that thing with the truck, but she thought maybe it was some strange dream…

The synth hesitated again, although Beth couldn't read the expression in her unnaturally bright green eyes.

"Ariel?"

The synth nodded slowly.

"Oh." Beth let her head fall back on the pillow, sighing. "I hope I haven't been away for too long. Catching up can be a pain."

The synth said nothing, merely stared with a solemn expression.

"Ariel?" Beth asked. "Is something...wrong?"

The synth started as if startled, then shook her head quickly, her usual polite smile back on her face. "No. It is just…" she paused again, which made Beth a little concerned. She didn't usually take so much time between answers.

"...It is good to see you well."

"I feel weird." Beth admitted, finally finding the strength to sit up. "It's like I had the flu or something."

Ariel merely nodded. "Perhaps some rest would do you good." She suggested.

"You sure?" Beth asked worriedly. "I should really start trying to find out what I've missed in class. My teachers will kill me if I'm late with much work."

"Get some rest, Beth." Ariel replied firmly. "Your body is not ready to handle stress as of yet."

"OK." Beth gave in, slumping back down. "Thanks, Ariel."

"You do not need to thank me, Beth."

"...Thank you anyways." She said stubbornly.

"You are welcome."

The synth took her leave, and Beth was left in the room by herself.

She wanted to listen to Ariel's advice, but for some reason, she just couldn't seem to fall back asleep. So instead she lay there, in silence, wondering why she appeared to be in one of her father's work rooms and what exactly all the machines were for.

She wasn't a fool. She recognized that something else must be going on.

She just didn't know what yet.

The school, the detonator...it had all been just a dream, hadn't it?

Or something more? What was going on that Ariel couldn't meet her eyes?

Why was she feeling so...odd?

Once again, Beth was at a loss as she lay quietly in bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what had really happened to her.

What was going on?


	4. Chapter 4

Beth was up and about the next morning, although for some reason, Ariel had advised her strongly to be careful.

Beth was puzzled by this. Since when had Ariel been so...conscientious?

No offense to the synth, but her main interests were typically in completing household chores, as opposed to being a suddenly over-dedicated personal nurse.

Ariel _had_ looked over Beth as a child, even when she had gotten sick, but this was...different somehow. It was as though she didn't want Beth to step even a foot out of her sight.

Over the next two days, Ariel followed her around (silently and freakishly reminiscent of horror movies) wherever she went. It almost felt like she was on probation or under jail watch.

She was acting so strangely, like there was something very, very wrong. She wouldn't allow Beth to stay in the bathroom for more than five minutes, and always asked her whether or not she had used the mirror.

Beth was not only incredibly weirded out by these private questions, she was disturbed by the fact that she couldn't even seem to go to the washroom in peace.

She was not allowed to leave the house either. She had been blocked by Ariel whenever she had attempted to exit, first through the front door, then through the back, and desperately, out the bedroom window.

Although to be fair, it _was_ probably a good thing Ariel had been there for that one. She had nearly broken her neck after slipping when she was climbing out.

No, wherever she went, the synth was always there. Watching her. As if something terrible was going to happen if she made a single move without letting her know.

Finally, by the end of the afternoon, Beth had had enough.

* * *

"Alright, Ariel." she said seriously, facing down the synth. This action was rather difficult considering the synth was about half a foot taller than she was.

"Tell me what's going on."

"I do not understand the request, Beth." Ariel replied blankly.

Beth ground her teeth in frustration. This was starting to get a little old.

"I think you do. I think you know _exactly_ what I mean."

"...I do not, Beth." she repeated, with the same calmness as before.

It was beginning to drive her a bit mad.

"You're lying." Beth shook her head and chuckled bitterly. "You've been lying."

"I cannot lie, Beth." The synth continued placidly. "You know this."

"Alright, stop it now." Beth tried again. "You can tell me the truth."

"I do not understand this request."

Beth wasn't entirely sure whether or not it was her serene tone or the passive way she was acting, but she just had had _enough_.

"Just tell me what's going _ON_!" She shouted, clenching her fists. "Two days it's been like this. Two days I haven't had a moment to myself! You've been following me around _constantly_! I understand if you're worried about me for some reason, but _please_ , stop pretending like nothing's wrong when something clearly _IS_!"

Ariel remained silent at this outburst, standing completely still.

Beth felt her anger slowly fade to be replaced by hollow, frustrating disappointment.

"Fine," she muttered defeatedly, dropping her fists. "If you can't tell me, or won't for some reason, I'll just have to figure out what's happening on my own."

She stalked off, leaving the synth where she was.

She was going to find out what was going on. Did she have some sort of disease maybe? Maybe that was why she had not been permitted to leave the house in the last couple of days...maybe she had contracted some rare, incurable sickness and no one had seen fit to tell her because they were afraid to.

Well, no matter. She would ask her father when he came home that evening.

She had been too confused the day before and must not have heard him come home. Well, that was to be expected. He did work awfully late, after all.

But she would get her answers one way or another. Yes, when her father came home, she would question him until she understood what was really going on, regardless if he wanted to answer or not. She was done with being in the dark for the time being.

She marched straight into her room and sat down violently on the bed, silently seething.

She waited an hour, two hours. Then three.

It passed into late evening, five hours later.

She waited for her father to ring the doorbell, for Ariel to go tend to him.

30 minutes.

She had given up staring at the clock and was lying on her back, gazing at the ceiling.

Another hour. Then 20 minutes.

It was quite late now. She was getting anxious. Why wasn't he back yet?

Another hour.

She waited for her father to come home.

But he never did.

No matter what she did, she couldn't fall asleep.

She had thought it incredibly bizarre the past couple nights when the same thing had happened, but she had assumed that that was because she had already slept a long time while she had been sick.

But no. Not this time. This time, it was like her body wouldn't let her sleep. Like no matter how tired she tried to convince herself she was, she just couldn't drift off.

It was driving her mad.

She pulled her knees up to her chest, and tried not to break down. She didn't know what was happening anymore. She didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to leave the house or why her father never came home.

She didn't know why Ariel was acting so strange, as if there was something different about her now.

Worse still, the vision of the mysterious black van and the school still lingered in her mind. She would close her eyes, and she would see it all over again. She had tried to convince herself that it was just some morbid dream she had come up with, but now...now she wasn't quite so sure.

Something had happened while she had been sick. Something more. Something Ariel wasn't telling her.

But why? Why not? Why was this...happening to her?

She stayed like that for the rest of the night.

Soon, days passed, and Beth remained shut up in her room. She lost the desire to go out. She had even lost the desire for food, or so it seemed.

She merely stayed in her same huddled position on her bed, staring at the wall in utter incertitude.

By approximately the sixth day, Ariel finally came to Beth's room. She entered slowly, and Beth, still on the bed, showed no signs of hearing her come in.

The girl stayed staring at the wall opposite, with a blank, empty look on her face.

Ariel walked over and stood behind her.

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence between them.

Finally, Beth broke it.

"I'm not alright...am I?" she asked, her voice hollow, but knowing.

Ariel shook her head. "No."

Beth turned towards her, her wide eyes despairing.

"What happened to me?" Her voice grew a little stronger. "Really?"

Ariel hesitated for a moment, then walked over to sit on the bed beside her.

After a moment, she slid an arm around the girl.

At the soft touch, Beth immediately burrowed into the embrace, holding on tight, as if for security.

Neither of them moved for a long time.

Then, Ariel finally spoke.

"You died."

If Ariel was expecting more of a reaction, she was mistaken. Beth surprisingly showed no signs of shock, only breathing in deeply.

"How?" She whispered at last.

"I think you already recall it." Ariel said quietly. "It was at school."

"The van," Beth murmured, squeezing Ariel's arm tighter.

Ariel nodded. "Yes. On April the 18, a terrorist squad threatened to bomb a public facility. The government did not take them seriously, but that was an error on their part. On April the 23, they followed through with their threat and bombed West Vale Secondary School. Your school."

Beth took a shaky breath. "How...how many-?"

"141 deaths." Ariel calculated. "98 in critical condition. 112 injured in all."

"And-?" Beth let the unspoken question hang in the air.

"Elizabeth Li was not listed under any of the known survivors." Ariel repeated, as if from a direct report.

"So-" Beth struggled to breathe. The shock was beginning to have its effect. Ariel stroked her back, soothing her. "S-so...I'm... _dead_?"

Another pause. Beth tensed, suddenly terrified for the horrible thing she could only be certain Ariel was going to say next.

"Not...exactly."

"What do you mean?" Beth twisted in her arms to look up at her. "What am I doing here then?"

Again, Ariel's green eyes looked almost...regretful, as if there were things she wished she would not have to say. But Beth wanted answers. She _needed_ answers.

"Ariel, tell me." She begged, nudging her. " _Please_."

Ariel looked down at her, and she thought her pale face softened, just a little.

"Beth. This will not be easy for you to hear."

"Just...just tell me." Beth clung to her. "Please. I need to know."

"Are you sure?" Ariel looked regretful. "Absolutely certain?"

Beth nodded.

"Alright." Ariel relented. "The day West Vale was attacked…"

"I died," Beth filled in, but Ariel was not finished speaking.

"...was...two years ago."

Beth recoiled. " _What_?"

"Your death…" Ariel repeated slowly. "...was approximately 2 years, 1 month and 6 days ago."

Beth looked away, gaping. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it.

"All that...and I've been-what, _asleep_ for _two whole years_?"

"Plus 1 month and 6 days." The synth corrected unhelpfully.

"I...I... _don't_ -" Beth leaned forwards, suddenly feeling sick. "Oh, my God."

"I am sorry to have to tell you this." Ariel said, sounding rather sorrowful.

"OK, Ariel." Beth muttered after a few minutes. "It's been...two years. How am I...?"

"-Alive?" Ariel guessed aloud.

Beth nodded. "Yeah." She was already frightened of the answer. It was already horrendous enough that she had apparently died in a bombing on her school, as well as the knowledge that two years had seemingly passed without her knowledge.

The fact that she was somehow here now...seemed like it should be some sort of miracle, but she had the feeling that something much, much worse was about to be revealed.

The thought made her feel nauseous.

Ariel seemed to be able to detect her uneasiness. "Do you truly wish to know the answer to that question?"

Her voice was so different; low, uncharacteristically grim, and somehow scared Beth more than anything she had experienced that day.

"Beth."

As if her name was like a trigger, Beth felt herself nod dazedly in response.

Ariel's eyes were piercing. The luminous green enhanced the overall effect that much more. Her gaze swept over Beth's face, as if struggling to come to a decision.

"Go look in the mirror."

Beth was startled by this order. "Uh, what?"

"Go look in the mirror." The synth repeated firmly. "Carefully."

"What, right now?"

"Yes."

The strange request made her even more uneasy, and she got up slowly, rubbing her hands on her legs.

* * *

She made her way out of the room and towards the bathroom, feeling Ariel's eyes following her all the way.

She stepped inside, and closed the door. She took a deep breath, and turned towards the mirror, a medium-sized piece which covered a half of the wall.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to look for, exactly.

"Carefully", the synth had said. But what did she mean by that?

She peered warily into the silvery surface. Messy dark hair. Dark eyes. Tan skin. Definitively normal.

She checked her hands. Then her arms. Then legs. All were fully-functional and normal-looking as could be. She even pulled up her shirt slightly to check her lower abdomen.

Was this supposed to be some kind of joke?

She was about to turn away in disappointment and go tell Ariel what stellar advice she had seen fit to give her, when she noticed something.

She frowned, turning back to face the mirror.

What was that, right near her ribcage? Was that some sort of...peeling skin? A scrape of some sort?

No. It was...something different.

She was starting to get really scared now. She took a deep breath, then reached down to prod at...whatever it was. She touched the spot again, more firmly.

She gasped. It wasn't a scrape at all.

With shaking fingers, she reached down...and gingerly, slowly, pulled the tiny _panel_ in her side open.

She pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream.

There was...she was…

There was the sound of a gentle footstep behind her. She whirled around to see Ariel gazing at her from the doorway, with more sadness in her eyes than she had ever seen from her.

"I-I-I…" she closed her mouth, then opened it again. When she finally regained enough control, she tried again, and succeeded.

"I'm...a synth." she said, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears.

" _I'm a synth_."


	5. Chapter 5

5 MONTHS LATER

"Are they coming?"

They were hiding around a corner. Beside her, Beth was crouching low, her knees almost touching the ground.

The night air was cool and slightly damp on Ariel's skin, but her temperature controls kept any discomfort away.

On the contrary, Beth appeared to be shivering, pulling her worn black jacket tighter around herself.

Ariel got the urge to hand over her own coat, but Beth was already focused on the matter at hand.

" _Ariel_."

At the unspoken command, Ariel hesitantly peeked out from their hiding place, but did not detect anyone down the alleyway.

"I believe we are safe."

"As safe as we ever get," The girl muttered, swiping a hand through her hair. Over the past five months, it had become rather wild. Ariel remembered the days when Beth had kept her hair neat and just above her shoulders, as opposed to the present.

Beth hesitated, then yanked her backpack farther up over her shoulders.

"We have to keep moving."

Ariel nodded silently, noting the urgency in her voice.

It was never long before they came searching for her and Beth. Every time they got close, she could feel a sense of paralyzing fear.

But they had never managed to catch up to them beforehand, and they weren't going to now.

She would never let them harm Beth.

At a nod, they ran from their corner, down the rest of the alleyway, and away from the streets.

Soon, they had reached a looming wire fence, which Beth looked up and down, a doubtful expression on her face.

"What is the matter?" Ariel came to stand beside her.

"It's tall," Beth muttered.

"And that is a problem?"

Beth scowled, then looked away. "Yes."

"What is the problem, then?" Ariel could recognize that Beth was embarrassed about something. She recognized the signs.

"I'm...too short." Beth mumbled at last. "I'm too short to get over."

Ariel sighed in relief. "That's all? I was concerned for a moment."

Beth glared at her. "Look, we don't have much time, and we need to get over quickly."

"Would you like me to carry you?"

Beth looked right then and there as if she would much rather be caught. "No!"

After a moment's hesitation, and Ariel staring intently at her, she finally gave in.

"OK, _fine_." She held up a hand warningly before Ariel could say anything else. "But just this once."

Ariel automatically turned around and placed her hands behind her back.

She could hear Beth grumbling about "stupid adjustments" and "unfair advantages" before climbing on her back.

Ariel straightened, ensured that Beth was secure, then began to climb the fence.

It was a short process, but she could see the relief on Beth's face when they got up and over the barrier without any errors.

"OK," Beth said, hopping down. "Now we need to get across country."

* * *

The trek across the open farmer fields was tiring.

Although Ariel's preset controls made the overall journey easier for her, she could still feel the effects of how far and long they had walked across the land.

Beth was no exception. Ariel could tell straight away how exhausted she probably was, but the girl kept marching resolutely forwards, head up, and one foot in front of the other.

As time went on, the silence between them stretched and grew uncomfortably until Ariel finally broke it. "Do you want to talk?"

"...Not right now." Beth didn't turn around.

"Are you sure?" Ariel asked hopefully.

"Yeah."

They walked on for approximately another 20 minutes and 36 seconds before Ariel tried again. "We could try singing a song."

Beth did turn around this time. "We're hiking to get away from zealot synth scientists who would only be happy to shut us down for good, and you want to... _sing_?"

"We used to sing when you were a child," Ariel attempted to defend herself.

Beth shook her head. "That was a long time ago."

"You particularly enjoyed "Part of Your World"."

She held in a laugh at the incredulous look on Beth's face. It was as though she had been audacious to even suggest such a thing.

But then, the expression softened, becoming more sentimental. "I remember," she murmured, as if to herself. "All I wanted was to become a mermaid and live under the sea."

"You asked me if I was named for the popular Disney character."

Beth chuckled at this. The humor made Ariel pleased. Beth seldom smiled these days.

"You weren't though. You were named for the character in the Tempest."

"Yes, you were so disappointed when I told you. You demanded that I change this at once, and pretend that I _was_ , in fact, named after the Disney character."

"Good times," Beth murmured again, looking down at the ground.

Ariel watched her silently. She was pleased that Beth had had a positive reaction to the old memory, but it would still take time before she could fully adjust to what had happened to her.

Ariel wished she could empathize further with her, better understand exactly what she was going through, but she just could not.

For her, it was as it always should have been.

She was not a normal synthetic. She was not like the others.

Ariel was a conscious synth.

She had been manufactured in secret approximately 13 years and 2 months ago, by the scientist Dr. George Li.

Beth's father.

Upon becoming conscious, she had been told repeatedly one thing, and one thing only: her main purpose was to protect his daughter. But not just as a shield, as someone who could care for her, nurture her. Love her.

She was not just a conscious synth. She was a guardian.

Ariel could recall everything perfectly. Her memories were all encrypted in her data.

* * *

The light had been blinding at first, white and strange.

She remembered sitting up automatically, examining her body. Strange was the word she had used. Strange, strange existence.

" _Hello, Ariel."_ a calm voice had said to her. It belonged to a man with spectacles and a white lab coat. He held out a hand to her. The gesture was reassuring.

" _My name is George, Dr. George Li. Welcome."_

She had taken his hand, smiling serenely. " _Hello, Doctor. It is a pleasure to meet you."_

It seemed as though she had always known she was not human. She knew was not human, yet she could still _feel_. She had emotions. She could feel joy. She could feel sadness. Anger. Boredom. Excitement. Love.

Dr. Li had always been there to instruct her on how to behave in certain situations, but she had always had her own intuition.

Above all else, she was there to care for others.

She remembered the four-year old who she had been introduced to almost immediately after her "birth".

The child had run to her father, staring up at her with wide brown eyes as she clutched his arm.

" _Who?"_ she had pointed at Ariel in straightforward confusion.

" _It is rude to point, sweetheart."_ Her father chided gently.

He looked up and beckoned Ariel forwards. " _Ariel, this is my daughter, Elizabeth."_

He turned back to the child, who still held onto him tightly, as if for security.

" _Beth, this is Ariel."_

" _Ay-ree-el?"_ The child pronounced each syllable carefully.

" _That's right."_ He told her softly. " _She's here to take care of you."_

" _Mommy?"_

Ariel noted how the doctor had flinched back, as if struck.

" _...Not exactly, sweetheart. But...she is very nice, and you must always listen to her."_

The child pondered over this for a minute, her brown eyes flicking upwards. They waited. Then, she grinned.

" _...'Kay!"_

" _Go on,"_ he nudged her forwards towards Ariel. " _Go say 'hello'."_

The child did so excitedly, bounding over. She was dressed in a red dress which flapped around her ankles.

" _Hi! I'm Beth!"_

She looked up at Ariel expectantly.

Ariel bent down so that they were level. " _Hello, Beth. It is nice to meet you."_

The child bounced on her toes, beaming. She reached forwards and touched one of her curls.

" _Your hair is pretty!"_

Ariel chuckled at this innocence. " _Thank you. Your hair is very beautiful as well."_

The child gaped at her, fingering her own dark locks.

Ariel wondered for a brief moment if she had already said something wrong. She looked up at the doctor for assistance, but he remained silent, merely observing the two of them.

But then, the little girl touched her hand. Beth marveled at the warmth of her skin on hers.

" _I like you!"_ She resumed bouncing up and down on her heels. " _Let's be friends forever!"_

Upon seeing this child, this innocent, sincere child, Ariel felt something...new. Something deep in her chest, warm and strong.

It took her a moment before she realized what it was.

It was love.

" _I'd like that."_ She took the child's hand in her own, her own growing excitement reflected back in her dark eyes.

" _Friends forever."_

* * *

" _Ariel!"_ The six-year old burst into the room. Ariel sat up at once from where she had been charging, alert. " _What is the matter, Beth?"_

" _I had…"_ The child trembled. Ariel saw traces of unshed tears in her wide eyes. " _I saw...Mom. And then she wasn't there, and Daddy was gone, and-"_ Her voice grew to a wail. " _-And then you were all gone too, and I was alone. Alone forever and ever and ever-"_ Ariel went to where the child stood, sobbing, and abruptly bent down to her height.

She reached out, and pulled her in close. Beth continued to cry, but her distress began to dissipate. Ariel stroked her back, calming her. " _Hush, now. It's alright."_

She held her tight. " _Don't worry, little one. Just breathe."_

The little girl pulled back and looked at her, fear in anticipation of an answer.

" _You're not going to-?"_

" _I'm not going anywhere,"_ Ariel reassured. " _I won't ever leave you, Beth."_

Beth brushed away another tear. " _Promise?"_

Ariel nodded solemnly.

" _Promise."_

* * *

Beth was not feeling well. Ariel could tell right away from the flush in her cheeks, the dazed, glassy look in her normally attentive eyes.

The doctor was out late again, working. It was just her and Beth there.

" _Ariel?"_ The ten-year old mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. " _Not...feeling...good."_

Ariel lunged forwards and caught her before she could fall over. The girl lay shivering in her arms, eyes shut.

" _Oh, Beth."_ she sighed quietly.

She tucked her into bed, putting a towel damp with cold water on her forehead. She pulled a chair beside the bed, and sat in it.

She would stay there that night. She would be ready if Beth needed anything.

" _Ariel?"_ She mumbled. " _Stay? Please?"_

" _I will remain right here, Beth."_ Ariel responded gently. " _I will take care of you."_

" _Thanks,"_ She slumped back onto her pillow, and sighed, closing her eyes.

When she was asleep, Ariel reached out a hand and stroked the dark hair off her forehead. In her sleep, Beth shifted and let out a contented sigh.

Ariel watched her through the rest of the night.

* * *

It was only in the later years as Beth grew up, that Ariel was warned against being quite so... _familiar_ with her.

" _It's for her own safety, Ariel."_ The doctor said simply. " _And yours as well."_

Ariel bit back her frustration. " _So I am to become...indifferent towards her?"_

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. " _It's...complicated."_

" _Then I should like to hear an answer."_

Ariel knew she was being difficult, but his request had been so.. _.unsettling_ with her, she couldn't help herself.

" _The world isn't ready for conscious synths yet,"_ He responded carefully. " _It's as simple as that. You may not realize it, but you are incredibly special. Unique, in your own way. Many do not believe that synthetics were meant for anything more than to be unfeeling technology. But I am not one of them. And neither was David Elster."_

"' _David Elster'?"_

He waved a hand, as if dismissing the name. " _A long time ago, he and I worked together. We both had a...well, a kind of mad dream. Synthetics that could feel. Synthetics that could have emotions just like any other human. Human, but not. Entirely different."_

" _And I am one."_ Ariel stated.

The doctor nodded. " _Yes. Eventually, we both went our separate ways. David left to move into the countryside with his family, and they've been there ever since. He was always a recluse. I went on to move closer to the city, and continued my research. It took many years, and occasional visits to David, but I figured out how to create you. A conscious synthetic, that is. As for David, well, he-"_ His face darkened slightly.

" _-He had already created at least three. All tending to his only son, Leo."_

" _And so I was born."_

" _Yes. After Beth's mother-"_ He broke off. Ariel knew only too well that the memory of Sarah Li only served to bring him pain. His beloved wife who she suspected he was reminded of every time he saw their only child.

" _-After she passed, I was obsessed with the idea. Much more so than I should have been. I neglected my only child, and she spent the first four years of her life living without the caring father she should have had."_ He bowed his head, and Ariel felt great sympathy for him.

" _And so you were created. Beth needed someone who could be there for her when I couldn't be. A guardian."_

" _And so I have looked after her all these years."_ Ariel replied. " _And now you would have me become...a machine."_

He looked pained at her words, but he was also resolved in his decision. " _I'm sorry, Ariel. But it's just too dangerous. Beth now knows about conscious synths, but I cannot allow her to know the truth about you. Not yet, anyways. The world is just not ready. I will not have her young mind burdened with things she should not have to be concerned about just yet."_ He looked up into Ariel's burning eyes.

" _I'm sorry, Ariel. But this is just how things have to be until then."_

They fell into silence as Ariel thought this over. In the end, all she wanted to make sure Beth was safe. And if this was the best way of doing it, then she would have to comply.

" _I understand."_ Ariel said at last.

He nodded, relieved. " _Good."_

She would not be able to look at Beth the same way anymore. She would have to pretend, to act like a regular synth. No lingering smiles. No embraces.

She would have to be caring, but not overly so. Not like she had been for all these years before. Starting from that moment on, she would have to be...emotionless.

* * *

As the years continued to pass, Beth no longer looked at her like a dear friend anymore. Now she was a teenager, a brilliant one, no less, taking after her father. But she didn't know how proud Ariel was of her. She had no idea how painful it was, day after day, not being able to reach out to her directly.

Not knowing who she really was anymore.

To be honest, as time passed, Ariel herself began to feel as if she was losing herself more and more. She was always pretending. There was seldom a moment when she would just be herself.

But she convinced herself it was worth it. She would keep her vow to Dr. Li. She would not put Beth in any danger. She would keep her safe from afar, eagerly awaiting the day when she could finally reveal who she truly was.

Then her world was ripped apart.

Ariel might have had perfectly-stored memories, but on that day...that day she couldn't quite recall so well.

She remembered the utter shock from the news. She recalled notifying the doctor in disbelief of the tragedy. She remembered how it took days, weeks for the horrible reality to even sink in. But then it did.

She felt like her world was ending. Her school had been destroyed. So many had died. And there was no Beth anymore, just an empty house and room where she had once lived.

Sometimes she would walk into her room, and just stare, without seeing, at where Beth had once stood. There was nothing left.

The doctor was obsessed. His whole world had been taken away from him as well. Their grief was the same. But while Ariel mourned, he was hard at work. He was obsessed, driven insane with one idea: to bring his daughter back no matter the cost, no matter the wait. He would see her again.

He was a completely different person: cold, unfeeling, vicious.

As if he were a machine himself.

" _I will bring her back,"_ he would mutter aggressively, over and over. Ariel barely heard him these days. She felt like a ghost herself.

* * *

One day, Ariel brought him his dinner. He worked from the house now, and he was constantly poring over his papers.

In a flash of recognition, she realized that the papers appeared to look like her own blueprints.

" _Here you are, doctor."_ She said listlessly.

He didn't look up. " _No."_

" _You must eat." "I said 'NO'."_

" _You will not be able to continue like this. You will not be able to-"_

He roared, threw up his hands in sudden intense anger. " _AND WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO?"_

Ariel was silent.

" _You're just like the rest of them,"_ He said, shaking with rage. Ariel scarcely recognized the same gentle, caring man he once had been before both their worlds had been taken away.

" _You don't...you don't think I can bring her back!"_ He pointed an accusing finger at her.

In another flash of recognition, Ariel found herself remembering the image of a child, no older than four, with bright eyes and a sweet smile. " _It's rude to point, sweetheart."_

She had not even realized she had said these words aloud, until the doctor had fallen back, face shocked.

Those were words he had once spoken to Beth all those years ago. Words he had used when Beth had seen Ariel for the first time.

" _Friends forever,"_ whispered Ariel to herself. She looked up to see untold pain spread across the doctor's face. He buried his head in his hands, turning away.

Ariel recognized the silent dismissal, and walked away.

* * *

It took weeks. Months went by.

Every day was like a cruel reminder of all they had lost. Only one person had the potential to cause so much grief.

Before she knew it, a year had passed. The school had been rebuilt, and there was now a memorial to all that had lost their lives in the terrorist attack.

Every now and then, there would be strange reports on the news. Ariel heard of strange occurrences with synthetics. Only this was different.

She could tell something was happening. Something new.

Perhaps she wasn't as alone as she thought…

Another year passed by. Every time she passed by the workroom, all she could hear was the sound of metal scraping against metal, like the doctor was constructing something. She didn't dare to hope.

Months passed. Then finally, the doctor called her in.

Ariel entered hesitantly. She was unsure of what she would see. She had not entered the workroom in a long time. The blinding light was uncomfortable.

She turned to look at the operating table-

She held back a gasp of astonishment.

It was her. It was her beloved Beth.

She appeared to be asleep, but a closer look told Ariel all she needed to know. There were wires connected to several different parts of her body. Ariel could see the panel in her side, which appeared to be the main charger.

She was…

" _Complete,"_ Came a dry, tired voice from behind her. She turned quickly.

" _Dr. Li!"_ She couldn't keep the shock out of her voice.

" _Hello, Ariel."_ he said simply, looking her straight in the eyes.

Ariel had not seen him this calm in such a long time. But something was very, very wrong. He looked clean, much more clean than he had been for months, but she could tell that there was...just something off.

" _I've finished her, Ariel."_ he said, a hint of triumph in his hoarse voice. He leaned against the table with his hands. " _I've...brought her back."_

Then he collapsed.

Ariel went to him immediately, dropping to her knees. " _Doctor!"_

" _It's...alright."_ He mumbled, coughing. He pulled his hand away, grimacing, and Ariel saw blood covering his palm. He must have caught the shock on her face, because he continued simply, " _I'm done. I haven't...been well...for a while now."_

" _Oh, no,"_ Ariel murmured. " _I didn't take good enough care of you."_ Her voice trembled with regret.

He shook his head. " _Not...your fault. It's...mine. I...was...too...busy."_ He chuckled. More blood stained his chin.

" _Don't speak,"_ Ariel said urgently. Maybe there was still time.

" _You've...done...well, Ariel."_ He said gently. Ariel fought back tears, even though she knew she couldn't physically cry. It was all too much. It was like her grief was all returning at once.

" _And now...I...have one more...favor...to...ask."_

" _Anything."_ She took his hand.

" _Look...after...her. Please."_

" _I will. I promise. I won't..."_ Ariel choked on her words. " _I won't...let anything happen to her...again."_

He nodded. " _Thank...you."_ He coughed again. " _Now...not...much...time. She is...conscious synth...now."_

" _Like me?"_

He nodded again. " _Exactly...like...you. But...she...will...not...remember...she is...dead."_

" _She won't?"_

" _No. I...am...trusting-"_ He coughed violently, his body spasming. Ariel gripped his hand tighter. " _-To...handle...the...situation...however...you...decide."_

" _I understand."_ She murmured.

" _Please."_ He clutched her hand, as if drowning.

When Ariel nodded in reply, he slumped back down, relieved. His breath was running out. His gaze switched to look at his daughter.

" _My dear,"_ He whispered. " _You...have...my...love. Always."_

He sighed once. Then his eyes widened to nothing, and Ariel was left holding the hand of a dead man.

She got up slowly, her new purpose already being set into her mind.

* * *

From that moment on, she knew she had been given a second chance. Beth was not human anymore, but that didn't stop Ariel from caring any less.

Even if they were both conscious synths now, Ariel would still protect her above all else. They were in danger now, from scientists who wanted to track them down and destroy them, but Ariel would never let that happen.

Not to Beth.

Not to the only friend she had in this world.

" _Friends forever,"_ she had promised so long ago.

And so it would be.


	6. Chapter 6

Beth was exhausted by the time they reached the farmhouse.

She stumbled as they neared the path leading up to it, and Ariel swiftly caught her.

"Thanks," she panted, grateful for the assist.

"Are you alright?" Ariel's eyes narrowed in concern.

She didn't want her to worry. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She waved a hand airily. "See?"

Ariel looked unconvinced, but she released her and stepped back.

Beth straightened and readjusted her backpack, pulling it up further over her shoulders. "We should get inside." She said. "Come on."

And they resumed their hike up to the shelter.

* * *

The farmhouse was deserted, as they knew it would be. They had been scouting the location out for weeks before making their final approach.

It had once belonged to a farmer and his family: his wife, two daughters, and a son. But they had moved out of the country, and the house remained desolate and empty, without a thought for who should own it next.

For Beth and Ariel, this was as good as a haven. They planned to stay there for at least a few weeks.

It was small, but cozy, with a tiny kitchen, washroom, barnhouse, and two bedrooms.

All Beth wanted at that point was to lie down and maybe rest for a month, but she forced herself to remain vigilant.

Before they settled down with anything, she and Ariel had to check each room: every crack, every corner, just to ensure nothing and no one was already there waiting for them.

Beth scoured both bedrooms while Ariel checked out the kitchen, washroom, and barnhouse.

When Beth returned, Ariel was scrutinizing a medium-sized patch of mildew on the ceiling. "That's not very attractive," She said, pointing up at it as if it was the most unpleasant view she had seen.

Beth held in a laugh. "It's not supposed to be. I'm just grateful for a place to get some rest before we have to move on."

"That is true," Ariel agreed, tearing her gaze away from the mildew. "At least there is no mildew in the bedrooms."

"No," Beth grinned. "But there is the possibility there _are_ rats."

Ariel's immediate look of wide-eyed horror was too good to resist-making her laugh out loud.

The red-haired synth turned on her heel and exited the room, no doubt unamused by her antics.

Beth shook her head, chuckling as she shrugged off her bag on top of the kitchen table, and moved towards the bathroom to freshen up.

* * *

It was surprisingly calming, scrubbing off the mud and leaves she had caught on her face from the long walk and rinsing her hair.

She couldn't really recall the last time she had been able to relax for even the slightest moment since she found out she was a synth.

She had been in shock for God-knows-how long. In fact, even five months later, she was still...adjusting. Getting used to her artificial body. Getting used to charging instead of sleeping. Getting used to...not being human anymore.

At first, she thought that being conscious was a good thing. Now, if she was really honest with herself, deep down...she wasn't so sure anymore.

Only about a month or so after being told the truth about what she really was, and a squadron of people in black camouflage had broken down the door, demanding that they show themselves at once.

Beth didn't really remember what happened next-she mostly recalled Ariel seizing her by the hand and dragging her up to the second floor before leaping out a window to their freedom.

At the time, she had been so sure they were going to die.

Fortunately for them, Ariel had not gone temporarily insane, but had managed to make it so that when they jumped out, their landing was partly cushioned by the hedges underneath in the garden below.

Although Beth had been winded, Ariel did not hesitate for even a second.

Before she could even take a proper breath at having quite literally leaped out a window, Ariel had pulled her up, and they were both running, faster and further than they ever had before. Running like their lives depended on it.

After that incident, and several others that followed in the next few months, Beth was only too certain the comparison was completely accurate.

They had been on the run for such a long time now, she had begun to forget what it meant to feel safe, at ease. It was a continuous cycle, moving on from one town to the next, always cautious, always watching their backs. Every time they stopped to pick up supplies such as clothing or camping equipment, she always felt a lingering sense of paralyzing fear, as if any single move in the open would expose them to their pursuers.

They could never afford to stay in one place for too long, a few weeks at the most.

But they really had no choice.

People-greedy, paranoid, _afraid_ people-were trying to hunt them down simply because of what they were.

Why couldn't they just leave them alone?

 _What had they ever done to hurt anyone?_

Beth clenched her fists as she became more and more engrossed in the agonizing thoughts. Anger began gradually rising to the surface as she allowed herself to ponder over their situation.

They had never caused anyone any harm. They didn't ask to be like this.

She had never asked to be...to be _made._

 _She never asked to be turned into this!_

Before she knew what she was doing, she had brought back her fist and punched a large hole straight into the wall.

BAM.

Bits of plaster came showering down, and she heard Ariel's voice, alarmed. "Beth? Beth, are you alright?"

She lowered her fist, her hands trembling. She turned away from the hole and swiped at non-existent tears that she had been so sure would be there if she had still been human.

"I-I'm fine," she called out, struggling to make her voice sound light and casual. "I...just slipped and knocked something off the shelf."

She could hear Ariel just outside the door. "Are you certain?" "Yes." She answered firmly.

She waited until Ariel's footsteps had receded, then put her head in her hands, breathing hard.

She hated the way she felt now-furious, sad, and scared beyond imaginable. She despised that sometimes she still wondered whether it would have been better for everyone else if she had just died and _stayed_ dead.

At least then Ariel wouldn't have to be in danger for protecting her, and she wouldn't have to live every day constantly worried about looking over her shoulder for people wanting to track them down and hurt them.

Beth sat against the wall, and leaned her head back, releasing a soft sigh.

That wouldn't do. Ariel had been through too much for her sake. The least she could do to repay her was to be strong enough to take care of them both.

With that resolve, she stood up slowly, and headed out of the bathroom, towards the bedrooms.

She needed a break.


	7. Chapter 7

Edwin Hobb was not a man who liked to be kept waiting.

He preferred doing things on his own terms, not being forced to work with incompetent work forces. The team of scientists at his disposal, for example.

Brilliant minds, he could not deny them that, but for lack of wasted potential.

Even they were absolutely clueless when it came to the matter of artificial intelligence. The synthetics.

Since the man known as George Li had been discovered to have passed away not but nearly 6 months ago, they were at a loss. But Hobb knew better. He knew something far more sinister had been hidden by the so-called doctor.

Rumor had it he had shut himself away after the death of his only daughter, Elizabeth Sarah Li, 15 years old at the time of the incident. She had been one of the several casualties of the terrorist bombing at West Vale Secondary School a few years past.

Yet, when investigators had come searching through the abandoned house, they found traces of unusual technology.

Just the barest traces, but enough to confirm Hobb's suspicions.

Li had been up to something. And no matter how many times the simple-minded scientists and research team told him otherwise, he knew that he must have been working on something before his untimely death.

He had been through the investigation parameters himself. Li had been shipping in rare and expensive materials for months from covert dealers across the globe.

Now what he had been doing with those materials, Hobb had yet to confirm.

But he had his suspicions. And he was certain those would be enough no matter the circumstance.

He sighed as he watched another so-called tech expert prod away mindlessly at a part retrieved from the doctor's workshop.

He might as well have been whittling a wooden bear for all the good it was doing him.

He shook his head, sliding his chair back away from the window.

Simpletons, the lot of them. They thought they were so capable, when really, they knew nothing of the world.

George Li had been much the same, the unwilling man. Brilliant, but still just as stubborn, just as shut-in as could be.

"Sir." A young man poked his head in the door. "They've found something."

"Show me." He got up and followed him down the hallway.

They entered the primary surveillance quarters, where a team was already assembled. Hobb would usually have had to suppress a groan, but not this time. He was intrigued by what they might have discovered.

"What is it?" He demanded. "This, sir." One of the women sitting at the monitors pointed at her screen. He bent and gave it a closer look.

It was a grainy, nighttime shot, and he scoffed silently at the inadequacy of it all.

"Focus in." He ordered.

She complied, typing away at the board in her hands.

Within a few seconds, he was able to get a much more satisfactory visual of what was so interesting.

"Those cases you've been researching, we think there is a connection." The woman at the monitor continued.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "And what lead you to that conclusion?"

"We detected traces of synthetic technology from that area. Also, their tracks coincide with the...the others."

"The others," Hobb repeated. Yes, the other synthetics, rumored to be made by David Elster himself. He was on the verge of discovering their whereabouts. Whatever they were, they would not be gone long.

Wait. There was something interesting in the shot. "Focus in there." He pointed to the sidescreen.

He could just make out what appeared to be two figures walking down the street, towards the fence border.

"Closer."

She complied with his command, fingers flying over keys.

The image zoomed in, then focused automatically. At Hobb's command, it was adjusted, and he could finally get a good view of the two mysterious figures.

One was a tall woman in about her early to mid-twenties, with long wavy hair. The other appeared to be a teenager, roughly 16 or 17 years old, with tousled hair-

Wait.

He knew that face, somehow.

Hobb pulled away, and began trying to recall exactly where he recognized the girl from. On the street, on the news-

 _Oh_. Impossible.

He leaned back in aggressively. Yes. There was no mistaking it. She took after her father in some ways. "Well, what do we have here…?"

"Sir?"

Elizabeth Li, daughter of Dr. George Li.

Her resemblance to her late father was nearly uncanny. They had the same dark hair, same serious, determined eyes.

In the shot, she wore a worn sweatshirt underneath a black jacket and carried a ragged bag over her shoulders. Both she and the unknown woman had slightly wary expressions on their faces, as if they knew they were being watched or followed.

It turned out she wasn't as deceased as many seemed to believe…

"When was this taken?" He asked abruptly.

"About 11 hours ago, sir."

"I want a team in that area as soon as possible. See if they can find these two." He gestured at the young woman and the girl frozen on the screen.

"Yes, sir. Right away." The woman began to make the preparations, setting up.

"Good." He sat back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Another realization hit him, and it was irritating. He didn't have time to look after both cases at once. Besides, Elster's machines or whatever they were posed a much more recent and urgent matter in his eyes. He decided he would stay focused on that.

"Oh, and call in Abberley." He added to the woman. "I think it would be appropriate to start sending in the special forces."

He leaned back, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

Oh, yes. Abberley would be a force to reckon with indeed.

Even for the long-lost supposedly dead daughter of such an old friend.


	8. Chapter 8

Beth was surfing the internet approximately three days and ten hours later.

Ariel came out of the bedroom, straightening her shirt. She paused as she saw Beth typing away, her fingers dancing across the keyboard.

"What are you doing?"

"Research." Beth answered shortly.

Ariel walked forward and came to a stop beside the table, where she had set up the old laptop. It was by no means in the top condition, what with them having to run across country consistently. The computer had chips and scratches down the side and across the back, but Beth still clung on to it, stubbornly stating that she would sooner give up a hand than leave it behind.

Ariel only knew the reason for this compulsive behavior too well.

It was one of the only things the girl had managed to take before they had been forced to escape from the old house.

It had been a present from Dr Li to his daughter for her 13th birthday, which Ariel remembered only too well.

The doctor had patted Beth's shoulder affectionately as she opened the computer with wide, excited eyes.

"This is yours now, sweetheart." He had leaned in and said quietly to her. "Take good care of it."

Beth had used the same one all throughout entering high school and still used it now. It was more than just a gift to her now, Ariel supposed, frowning in thought of the correct word to describe it. It was...a memory. Yes, a memory of her father.

Beth stopped typing a moment to look up. "Ariel?" She looked slightly concerned. "Something wrong?"

Ariel shook her head quickly, remembering where she was. "No, Beth."

Beth's eyes lingered for a moment, before she turned back to her work. "Alright."

Ariel leaned over Beth's shoulder, keeping a respectful distance away, but just close enough so that she could see what was occurring on-screen. "What are you doing?"

"There have been several news reports lately," Beth explained, not taking her eyes off the screen. "I thought it might be good precaution to ensure we're not front cover."

"And are we?"

"Not that I've seen so far," Beth answered, scrolling and clicking through a variety of different tabs. "But...there are a select few about something interesting-" She clicked and pointed with her free hand. "There."

It was a blurred image of what appeared to be two men walking down an alleyway at night.

"What is interesting about that?" Ariel was confused.

"They're...familiar," Beth frowned. "I've seen them before, I'm sure of it."

"Can you zoom in?" Ariel asked. Beth shook her head. "I wish. But this is as far as the mainframe will allow."

"Let me try." Ariel asserted. Beth looked surprised. "You?"

"You forget, little one." Ariel poked her forehead like she did when she was but a child. "I _am_ a synth."

"So am I," Beth grumbled, rubbing her head. She considered for a moment while Ariel waited. "Alright, get on with it, then." She moved aside to let Ariel take her place.

It didn't take long for Ariel to access the photo completely. Soon they were staring at a wide, zoomed-in shot of the two men. One was tall, very tall, with dark skin and a loose jacket, and a cap pulled low over his head. The other appeared to be limping, gripping the other man for support. He had unruly wavy dark hair and a fierce look-

Beth gasped.

Ariel turned to her. "What is it?"

Beth shook her head in astonishment. "I can't believe it. I _knew_ they looked familiar!" She pointed to the taller, dark skinned man. "He's called Max. He saved my life once before. Pulled me out of the way of a car."

"You never told me that!" Ariel was irritated by this sudden lack of confidentiality.

"Sorry," Beth said. Then she continued, "But that wasn't the most important thing. I found out that day that conscious synthetics _are_ real. He was one!"

"What about him?" Ariel gestured at the fierce man with the injury.

"He's called Leo, I think. He was rather on-edge when Max saved me."

"Why would he be unhappy about him saving your life?"

Beth frowned again, thinking. "I remember...he didn't want to draw attention to himself." Her frown deepened. "I...remember researching about them before. There was a scientist, a synth scientist. David...David-"

"Elster." Ariel finished.

"Yes!" Beth exclaimed. "That was it. His son...Leo Elster-" She pointed to the photograph again. "He was presumed dead in an accident many years ago."

"Tragic," Ariel murmured.

Beth nodded solemnly in agreement. "But I saw him, only a couple years ago. That was right before-"

She tensed, and Ariel knew why. It must have been right before the bombing.

Beth cleared her throat pointedly. "Anyways. He's still alive, if my eyes served me correctly. And this photo here just supports that."

"But how could he still be alive?" Ariel pondered. "He was presumed dead, was he not?"

"Yeah." Beth agreed, tapping her fingers lightly along the table as she thought it over. "But what if…" She stopped tapping. "What if... _he's_ not entirely human either?"

"You believe David Elster may have recreated him after the accident?"

Beth nodded. "It's a definite possibility." She leaned back in her chair, shaking her head ironically. "Wow. Our dads must have had a _lot_ in common."

"They did." Ariel replied quietly.

Beth turned to her, startled. "What-you knew this Dr. Elster?"

"No, I never met him in person." Ariel said truthfully. "But your father did speak of him before."

"And you never told me this?" Beth's tone betrayed her surprised disappointment.

"It was not relevant to keeping you safe." Ariel responded.

Beth shook her head again, a slightly disappointed look in her eyes. "I see."

She turned back to the laptop, taking a deep breath. "I think we should try and find them."

"What?" Now Ariel was shocked. "Why?"

"I want to know more about this David Elster, Ariel." Beth answered simply. "I want to know more about conscious synths, about everything Dad...never got round to telling me." The last part of her sentence held a distinctly sorrowful note.

Ariel was still reluctant. "And is that information worth risking our safety over?"

Beth spun around to face her, dark eyes blazing in uncharacteristic anger. "'Safety'? _What_ safety, Ariel? Since when have we _ever_ been completely safe?!"

Ariel opened her mouth to respond, but Beth continued vehemently, "Now, we know that there are conscious synths out there. You and I are already proof of that, as well as what Dad told me. But we have _never_ encountered others like us. This could be our chance!" She gestured violently to the screen. "We have to at least _try_!"

There was silence between them. Beth leaned back in her chair, pushing the hair off her face wearily. "Look," she said, more softly. "I know you want to make sure we're safe from those scientists, but I…" Ariel saw her fist clench in her lap. "...I _have_ to know." That was nothing more than a whisper.

More silence.

Finally, Ariel stood. "Alright."

Beth glanced up, startled again. "What?"

"I said 'alright'. If it is that important to you, we can attempt to find them."

A smile began to spread on Beth's face. "So we're agreed?"

"But-" Ariel held up a hand. "-You must agree not to be so reckless. You must not put yourself at risk for anything."

"Well, that may be sort of difficult-" Beth began.

"Promise me." Ariel cut her off firmly. "I want you to promise."

Beth sighed, and she waited for her reply patiently.

"OK. I promise." She said at last, and her smile returned. "We're doing this."

She hopped up, and Ariel couldn't help but feel a trace of happiness to see her actually looking excited. "We can start making preparations over the next couple days. We're going to need to see if we can find out where they could be, and then we'll need some supplies. I'm thinking we get together some-" She stopped, staring at the screen.

"Ariel."

Ariel turned to see what was going on. There appeared to be numbers flashing across the screen. Ariel automatically recognized them as foreign code.

"Ariel."

"It's not me." Ariel answered to the unspoken question. What was happening? An image popped up on screen, the image they had been looking at before, then another. Only this one appeared to be of-

"That's us," Beth marched back to the table. Her voice shook slightly, betraying how scared she was. "Ariel. That's a picture of us-"

Another image appeared. It seemed to be a satellite photo of a farmhouse, a farmhouse that looked distinctly familiar-

Beth slammed down the computer. "They've found us." Fear entered her voice, clear, unrivaled fear. "I don't know how, but _they found us_."

Ariel was already moving. She sprinted towards the bedrooms, snatched up her supply bag, then ran back to the kitchen. Beth was hurriedly shoving the laptop back into her own bag, then threw it across her shoulders.

"We need to go!"

She flung the door open, and rushed out, Ariel following her closely behind.

They thought they had made it out in time. Although it was dark, very dark, Ariel had higher visibility than normal.

They paused. "Ariel."

Ariel looked around, sweeping the fields with a look. "Give me a moment."

"We may not _have_ a moment," Beth hissed.

Another agonizing moment of silence. Beth tensed beside her, ready to take off at a moment's notice.

Nothing. Ariel saw nothing. She relaxed. Beside her, she could feel Beth release a sigh of relief. Perhaps they had made it after all.

BANG.

Beth crumpled to the ground beside her, clutching her side.

"Beth!"

She lay on the ground, motionless, eyes shut.

Ariel stood helplessly.

She had...failed? All she had was one job, and that was to protect Beth.

She had failed. She had failed. She had failed again-

"A-Ariel-" A voice rasped, and she felt a tug on her boot. She looked down blankly to see Beth curled in a ball, but miraculously, incredibly alive.

"W-we n-need to...leave-" She squeezed her eyes shut in pain.

There were shouts in the distance, and Ariel regained her senses all at once. She was right. Beth's eyelids fluttered, and she was groaning. Ariel could see dark fluid spreading across her side. She needed to get her out of here before they could shoot again.

She knelt quickly, and slid an arm around her, hoisting her off the ground.

Beth cried out at the contact, and gripped Ariel's arm hard.

Ariel pulled the rest of her up, and they began to run, as fast as they could, across the fields, away from the line of fire.

They ran into the darkness, into the unknown land they could not hope to distinguish that night.


	9. Chapter 9

" _Good shot_. Nice try." Although the words were pleasant in simple definition, in actual meaning, they were a vicious rebuke.

Joan Abberley was not one to mince words, especially not when someone had failed so miserably.

The sharpshooter in question looked positively skittish at her comment. "I-I apologize, Miss." "Oh, _good_." Abberley said sweetly. "Because my orders were to _hit the synth_ , not miss twice and barely graze the teenager."

The shooter ducked his head, and was silent.

She tended to have that effect on people. She was almost certain that in normal circumstances the gunman would have been exactly as promised: ruthless, professional. Not anxious and wary.

But she did have a certain, well, _reputation_ , as they so eloquently called it. Head of Special Rogue Technology Forces, to most. Synth-Hunter, to some. In her prime, she had taken care of dozens of cases regarding illegal or unlawful technology personally.

Cold. Merciless. Unforgiving.

Unyielding.

She was, and always had been deadly efficient. Well, except for that particular evening, as it seemed.

She felt a buzz in her pocket. Abberley huffed her annoyance, and turned on her heel. She would have continued to bestow more much-needed feedback on the incompetent gunman, but she was receiving a call.

"Hello?" She answered curtly.

" _Hello, Joan._ " A smooth voice answered, only too familiar.

She felt her lips curl. "Edwin. It's been too long."

" _Indeed_." The man chuckled on the other end.

"Alright, done with the pleasantries if you please, Edwin." Abberley continued.

" _Right to business, as usual._ " She could practically hear him shaking his head from his end.

"Naturally. Now, tell me. You had your charming assistant contact me not but three days ago. She wouldn't say for what it was for, only that we were tracking some wild synth and a teenage brat." She grimaced at the memory. The woman had been so inadequate with her impromptu briefing she was tempted to ask if she even knew how to do her job properly.

"' _Brat_ '?" Hobb echoed.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. " _Child_."

She knew that Hobb knew full well that she rather disliked children in general and thus had never aspired to have any of her own. Not that it would have made any difference. Her career always came first ahead of anything else. Especially before things so...trivial.

" _We don't have much to go on, I'm afraid_." Hobb continued. " _I assume you have the photo, however?_ "

She slid out the smooth portable screen in front of her. With well-practiced precision, she swiped it and the aforementioned image popped up. "Naturally."

" _Good._ "

"So what is so important about these two?" She pursed her lips. "You would have hardly have come to _me_ for the job otherwise."

There was a pause.

She rolled her eyes in impatience. "Go on, then. What is it?"

More silence. She knew what it meant, had known the man himself for more years than she cared to remember. Hobb was thinking of how to choose his words carefully. Why?

"Hobb?"

"... _Alright. I suppose you have a right to know_." He sounded carefully resigned.

"Go on." She urged.

"... _The taller one, as I'm sure you are already aware of, is a synth. Not just any ordinary one, no. A conscious synthetic_."

She nodded slowly. Not too much of a surprise. She knew Hobb himself had been on his own personal mission tracking down that Doctor Elster's creations, or she had been informed.

"I was unaware there were more than a few of them out there," She admitted.

" _Indeed."_ Hobb agreed. " _But wait. I was not finished_."

"Oh?"

Another brief pause. This was beginning to get on her nerves.

" _...The other one, the girl."_

"Yes, yes." She interjected impatiently. "The _child._ What about her?"

 _I believe her to be...George Li's daughter_."

As a general rule, Abberley never let her emotions overwhelm her. This was one of those rare times when she failed.

She gripped the phone, wishing to shatter it from the latest news she had just received.

 _Doctor George Li_. That _man_. That infuriating, stubborn, infallible-

And this _girl_ was his supposedly dead brat?

It was impossible!

" _How_?" She hissed between clenched teeth, her knuckles whitening around the edge of the device.

Hobb sounded unexpectedly apologetic, as if he was trying to subtly offer his condolences. " _I have a theory. Nothing for certain, however_."

She waited for his response, old, forgotten, burning anger making her head spin.

" _Li was close to a breakthrough with his inventions. He was one of the most brilliant minds in the industry from the beginning,_ " Although she knew he was loathe to admit it, there was a slight hint of grudging respect in Hobb's voice.

"And?" She bit out.

".. _.I believe he succeeded. When his daughter Elizabeth was killed in the terrorist bombing two years ago, I believe he did everything in his power to change it. In fact, I think he went one step further. He quite possibly recreated a conscious synthetic in her exact image_."

That explained it. It explained how the girl had been able to run like that after being grazed by the heavy artillery.

She felt herself calming, gradually, as she attempted to bring the focus back to the matter at hand.

"I see." She said curtly into the phone.

" _You have your assignment, I have mine_." Hobb continued. " _I can rest assured yours will be done with as soon as possible?_ "

It wasn't so much a question as it was a challenge. She could feel the determination resonate strongly with Hobb.

She nodded, inhaling deeply. "Yes."

" _Good. Hobb out_."

And the line went silent.

She slipped the phone back into her pocket quietly, and took a deep breath, smoothing back the hair that had come loose from her bun.

So. George Li's daughter was a synth now, or so it seemed. It only had to be confirmed. But the little brat wouldn't have long.

Now that Abberley knew who she was, and knew she was in unpleasant condition, it only made her resolution that much more simple.

She spun on her heel and marched back towards the small team of sharpshooters at her disposal. They would continue the search at once.

She was going to hunt down George Li's synthetic brat if it was the last thing she did.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, I'm so sorry it's been so long, but I've been crazy busy. Hope you enjoy anyways!**

 **-GirlWonder29**

* * *

Beth had felt pain before, but this was somehow different.

When the bullet had grazed her, it had felt like being hit by a bus, which actually hadn't been so bad. It felt like a blunt blow, nothing more.

Unfortunately, she could recognize being in shock right away.

It was a good thing Ariel was a fast runner, she always had been. The way synths moved, it was always to conserve as much energy as possible in coordinated movement. They didn't waste anything on excessive, more human fluidity. This allowed them to move faster, and overall be more efficient than the average human.

Beth considered it a good thing she had not yet passed out, although she was almost wishing she could just sleep and forget the whole thing had happened. They had nearly been caught. Ariel could have been hurt, or worse.

Beth dared not think about the alternate consequences of what might have happened had the shooter been just slightly more accurate with their aim.

But now Ariel was stuck carrying her across God-knows-where until they could be sure to be safe.

She glanced down, and saw that there was a dark stain spreading across her left side, just under her ribcage. She brushed a hand against it, and watched in dazed fascination at the blue-tinted substance that dripped from her fingers.

Synthetic blood.

She had never seen herself bleed like this before, not since before the bombing.

Interesting. It was sort of... _pretty_.

...Perhaps the shock really was going to her head now.

Ariel was still running, Beth could hear her breathing hard, as though tired, but that couldn't possibly be it. Synths rarely ever let physical exertion get to them. No, this was an emotional response.

"Sorry," She tried to say, but it came out as more of a weak rasping sound.

Through her blurred vision, she could see Ariel look down once, her bright green eyes wide and fearful.

That wasn't a good sign.

Ariel hardly ever let Beth see her being scared, until now.

She let her hand drop loosely by her side once again, suddenly feeling very tired.

"Just hold on, Beth," She thought she heard Ariel say faintly. "I will not let any more harm come to you."

 _That's good_ , was the last thing she thought to herself before the world turned completely dark.

* * *

When Beth next awoke, it was to the harsh beam of fluorescent lights.

It was this plus the sound of her own name being whispered, which sent stars to her vision. She began to gasp, clutching at her throat. The room was too hot. Her head was spinning. She couldn't breathe.

Was this what it felt like to have a panic attack?

It took her a second to realize exactly why she was so distressed. It was just like the time when she had first awoken after death. When she had been hooked up to who-knows-what lying on that metal table like a corpse on a slab.

Not human anymore. Just something to be experimented on, a machine. Just wires and fiber and metal and plastic...cold and unfeeling, unmoving, unknowing...

She squeezed her eyes shut, gasping for breath.

"Beth! Beth, calm down!"

Gentle yet strong hands, seized her own and pulled them away from her throat. She blinked a few times, unable to make out the full clarity of the silhouette.

She blinked harder. Soon bright red hair and worried luminous green eyes swam into view.

"Beth?"

"A-Ariel?" Beth rasped. She tried to raise a hand to her head, but the synth continued to hold firm.

"Are you alright? How do you feel?"

Beth shook her head weakly. "I...OK."

"Are you certain?" Ariel gave her a penetrating, unflinching stare. Beth squirmed slightly at the intensity of the look. "...Yeah."

Ariel gave her one more concerned look before finally releasing her hands.

Beth groaned and pressed a hand to her side. It felt like someone had managed to bandage it up, but she could still feel the pain from the area that had taken the most damage.

"Ow."

"You should stay still," Ariel advised, looking more worried than ever.

Beth tried to brush it off with a careless wave of her hand, but even the smallest motion made her arms instantly regret it.

"I'm...fine."

"No, you are not." Ariel stated plainly.

Beth chuckled, but it sounded weak. "I don't think I have been for a while now, Ariel...but that's just the way it is."

She winced, and straightened her back against whatever she was sitting against.

"Where are we?"

"A school." Ariel answered simply.

Beth tried to sit up quickly, but the effort was too great, and she cringed.

"Ugh... _what_?"

"It has been abandoned for a long time now, so there is no one else here." Ariel assured her. "I was able to repair the fuse system, however. It was a simple fix."

"Convenient," Beth mumbled, her head beginning to spin. The recollection of what had happened coming back to her. "How long...how long was I out for?"

Ariel looked away. "Two days."

"' _Two days_ '?" Beth exclaimed, pushing up violently on her elbows. Ariel turned back and promptly readjusted her into a more stable position.

"You took some minor damage, but it was still a close call."

"...Wow," Beth muttered.

Fear began to refill her thoughts once more as she remembered. "Did they see you?" She looked at Ariel worriedly. "Were you damaged at all?"

Ariel placed a hand on her shoulder, soothing her. "No. I was able to get both you and myself to safety before they could do anything more."

Beth sank back down slowly. "Good."

"I was able to alleviate the flow from the bullet hole," Ariel indicated where the bandaged area was. "You were fortunate. It appeared to only be a slight abrasion, nothing more."

Her voice broke on the last sentence, and Beth glanced at her in concern.  
"Are you alright?"

Ariel turned away, but she could still tell she was in distress.

"Ariel...come on. Tell me."

"I let you get hurt," Ariel said at last, her voice quiet.

Beth felt a sinking feeling at her words. "Look, I'm not-"

"I know," Ariel cut her off. "I know you are alright now, but I-"

Beth saw her fists clench tightly.

"-I made a vow. And I broke it. You did get hurt after all, after I promised no more harm would come to you, ever. I'm so sorry, Beth-"

Before she could finish, Beth reached up with both arms and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

Ariel stiffened against the contact, then relaxed. Beth felt her body shake as she held her.

"Hey," Beth said softly. "It's OK. It really is. You can't be responsible for every little thing that happens, trust me."

"But I-"

"I know you made a promise to Dad," Beth said. "I know you want to protect me, but...but you need to look after yourself too, and not worry as much. If you were responsible for no harm coming to me ever again, then-" She paused to chuckle, and joked. "-Then the next time I get so much as a paper cut, I'm going to hold you to that."

Ariel stiffened, then once again relaxed as she understood the sarcasm.  
She sighed. "You are not funny, Beth."

"I know," said Beth carelessly, pleased that the synth sounded much more like her usual self. "But I think that's beside the point."

Ariel pulled back, fussing over the bandaging over Beth's side, although she insisted that she felt much better now.

"Hey, Ariel?"

"Yes, Beth?"

"We need to be gone," Beth said bitterly. "I don't think these people are giving up any time soon."

Ariel nodded. "You're right."

She began to move around, packing up what little provisions they had fled with: A duffel, and Beth's backpack with her laptop.

"Wait." Beth said. "Bring me the laptop."

Ariel did as she requested, handing over the silver computer.

Beth opened it up, wincing at the soreness of her arms, and booted it up.

"I had a nasty feeling that maybe they were able to find us through this," She explained, her fear expanding inside her chest.

"So I think I should give this a run-through, clear out any residual data that could allow them to track us again."

She typed away furiously as Ariel finished cleaning up their supplies.

After a couple of minutes, it was complete. She tapped out one last code. "Done."

She slide the laptop back carefully into the backpack, taking silent note of how Ariel watched her put the computer away. She probably thought her oversentimental, hanging on to the scratched, outdated machine from her father, but whatever. It was their best source of online data, and like Hell if Beth was going to throw it away if she could help it.

"Ariel."

The synth turned back to her.

"One last thing," Beth said, her heart pounding with the risk she was about to take. "I think we should try to find Leo Elster."

Ariel's face turned to confusion and instant wariness.

"Why?"

Beth sighed. "Call it a hunch, but I think he's our best bet at the moment. I mean, he and his synth companion have been under radar for years, it sounds like, and they might have a better way of avoiding these people than we do. It's worth a shot."

"It's too much of a risk." Ariel stated.

"Perhaps," Beth agreed. "But I…" She hesitated, unsure of whether or not to admit it or not. "He's David Elster's son. David Elster was the creator of synthetics from the very beginning, if what we've learned is true, and I believe it all is. We could also get information about what we are as well. What Dad intended for us to be." She paused again, watching Ariel take this into consideration. "Maybe….maybe we wouldn't be alone anymore."

It sounded childish when she said the last part aloud, and she was waiting for Ariel to call her out on it, but she just couldn't help it. Maybe it was true. Maybe Beth was just tired of just her and Ariel against impossible odds. Maybe if they could find others like them, they could help each other out.

It was worth a shot, at least.

Finally, Ariel spoke, her green eyes emotionless. "Are you certain that's what you want?"

Beth nodded resolutely. "Yes."

Ariel sighed, shaking her head at her as if she couldn't understand for all the world why she had to get landed with such a reckless charge. "Alright."

Beth couldn't help grinning. "OK, then." She pulled her laptop back out, and opened it, ready to begin searching.

"I have a good idea of where to start."


	11. Author Note

**First of all, I'd like to apologize for my lack of new chapters.**

 **And that this isn't a new chapter either.**

 **Rest assured, I will be coming back to this story at some point, hopefully in the near future.**

 **The reason for this is because of I am happy to say that I am currently writing a romance novel, which I hope to enlist in a writing contest later this year. Because of this development, writing fics such as this one will have to be postponed until later on, but will be brought back soon.**

 **Thank you for your patience and support.**

 **-GirlWonder29**


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